purse

[ purs ]

See synonyms for: purse pursed on Thesaurus.com

noun

handbag (def. 1).
Also called change purse [cheynj-purs] /ˈtʃeɪndʒ ˌpɜrs/ . a small bag, pouch, or case for carrying money.

anything resembling a purse in appearance, use, etc.
a sum of money offered as a prize or reward.
a sum of money collected as a present or the like.
money, resources, or wealth.

verb (used with object),pursed, purs·ing.

to contract into folds or wrinkles; pucker: to purse one's lips.
to put into a purse.

Origin of purse

First recorded before 1100; (noun) Middle English, Old English purs, blend of pusa “bag” (cognate with Old Norse posi ) and Medieval Latin bursa “bag” (ultimately from Greek býrsa “hide, leather”); (verb) Middle English pursen “to put in a purse,” derivative of the noun

Other words from purse

purse·less, adjective
purse·like, adjective

Words that may be confused with purse

briefcase, handbag, pocketbook, purse , valise, wallet

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use purse in a sentence

He created an effigy of a double-faced model of Benedict Arnold in a carriage, dressed in a red coat and holding a letter to Beelzebub with the devil standing behind him shaking a purse full of money.
When Science Was the Best Show in America - Issue 93: Forerunners | Lee Alan Dugatkin | November 18, 2020 | Nautilus
The court filing shows several examples of these items, which included wallets, purses, belts and sunglasses, which were designer dupes of brands like Gucci and Dior.
Amazon sues online influencers engaged in a counterfeit scheme | Sarah Perez | November 12, 2020 | TechCrunch
A purse was stolen from a vehicle entered by breaking a window.
Loudoun County crime report | | November 11, 2020 | Washington Post
I am sure the waitstaff does not want to collect them, yet I really don't want them back in my purse, either.
Miss Manners: My lovely wife seems irritated now that we’re together constantly | Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin, Jacobina Martin | October 30, 2020 | Washington Post
Rumpl's new Featherlite Puffy packs down small enough to fit into a purse or a small backpack, weighs one pound, and will keep your legs warmer than any pair of dayglow shell trousers.
How to Layer for Outdoor Dining This Fall and Winter | Wes Siler | October 14, 2020 | Outside Online

Who was this girl with the pursed lips, perfect eyebrows, and a dry nosebleed?
Aubrey Plaza’s Great Disconnect | Aubrey Plaza | August 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
His black hair sweeps back from the crest of his high forehead and laps at the nape of his neck; his lips are pursed.
Meet Alexandre Desplat, Hollywood’s Master Composer | Andrew Romano | February 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Friends saw the danger signs—the pursed lips, the extra quick blink of the eye.
Juiciest Bits From Robert Lacey’s Royal Biography ‘The Queen’ | Tom Sykes | May 9, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
Pursed-lipped shows of affection or canned admiration get you labeled insincere.
What the Stars Hold for Your Week | Starsky + Cox | July 30, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
Billy Towler pursed his little red lips as he nodded his small head and winked one of his large blue eyes.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands | R.M. Ballantyne
He had a roundish face, a little fleshy under the chin, a soft-lipped mouth that from habit he held slightly pursed, muddy eyes.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942 | Various
As she sat up, her face level with mine, she pursed her lips, and I gave her a hearty smack.
Valley of the Croen | Lee Tarbell
She gave it up to him, passively, but when he offered her his arm, merely shook her head and pursed up her lips.
Tales and Fantasies | Robert Louis Stevenson
His pursed up mouth made it clear that he was not a handsome man—the lower lip was heavy, somewhat protuberant.
The Winning Clue | James Hay, Jr.

British Dictionary definitions for purse

purse

/ (pɜːs) /

noun

a small bag or pouch, often made of soft leather, for carrying money, esp coins
US and Canadian a woman's handbag

anything resembling a small bag or pouch in form or function
wealth; funds
a sum of money that is offered, esp as a prize

verb

(tr) to contract (the mouth, lips, etc) into a small rounded shape

Origin of purse

Old English purs, probably from Late Latin bursa bag, ultimately from Greek: leather

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with purse

purse

In addition to the idiom beginning with purse

purse strings

also see:

can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

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